Our AT&T internet review
AT&T is a major internet service provider with fast speeds, fair prices, great customer satisfaction ratings, and regular promotions. With a rapidly growing fiber-optic network, AT&T shines with its fiber plans, which offer some of the fastest home fiber speeds in the nation.
Pros
- Unlimited data
- Variety of fiber plans
- Great customer satisfaction ratings
- No annual contracts
Cons
- Limited fiber availability
- Slow speeds for DSL plans (where available)
Jump to: Plans and pricing | Speed and data caps | Fees | Installation, equipment, and contracts | Customer ratings | AT&T vs. the competition | Bottom line | FAQ
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Compare AT&T internet plans and pricing
Package | Price | Speed | Type | View on AT&T site |
---|---|---|---|---|
AT&T Internet 300 | $55.00/mo.# | 300Mbps | Fiber | |
AT&T Internet 500 | $65.00/mo.# | 500Mbps | Fiber | |
AT&T Internet 1 Gig | $80.00/mo.* | 1,000Mbps** | Fiber | |
AT&T Internet 2 Gig | $125.00/mo.* | 2,000Mbps** | Fiber | |
AT&T Internet 5 Gig | $225.00/mo.† | 5,000Mbps** | Fiber | |
AT&T Internet Air | $55.00/mo.* | 75–225Mbps | Fixed Wireless/5G |
Find out if AT&T is available in your area.
AT&T speeds
AT&T has some of the fastest home fiber internet speeds in the United States. Its fastest plan is 5,000Mbps, which the average home really doesn’t need until 16K streaming becomes a thing. Thankfully, AT&T provides an array of speed ranges at great prices backed by excellent reliability and customer service.
If you can’t get AT&T’s fiber, AT&T’s Internet Air fixed wireless service has speeds up to 225Mbps. AT&T also has DSL internet, but it may not be available to new customers where you live. We suggest going with cable internet if AT&T’s fiber internet is not in your area.
How fast are your AT&T speeds?
Click below for a quick speed test and find out.
Download speed
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Upload speed
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Latency (ping)
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Jitter
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Use our “How Much Internet Speed Do I Need?” tool to get a quick rundown of which speed is best for your home Wi-Fi.
AT&T data caps
Plan | Data cap |
---|---|
AT&T fiber internet (300–5,000Mbps) | No cap |
AT&T Internet Air (75–225Mbps) | No cap |
All of AT&T’s fiber internet and Internet Air plans come with unlimited data, so there’s nothing to report here. Yay!
Our favorite plan: AT&T Internet 300
This fiber internet plan comes at a good price—just $55 per month. Many competing fiber providers offer plans with gigabit speeds only, leaving no option for more affordable fiber. AT&T is unique in offering the reliability and incredibly fast upload speeds of fiber internet but at a more reasonable price. A plan with 300Mbps isn’t the fastest out there, but it’s plenty for most households.
AT&T deals and promotions
Get up to $150 in AT&T Visa® Reward Cards when you sign up for AT&T Fiber.AT&T internet fees
Fee | Cost |
---|---|
Equipment fee | $10.00/mo. (for DSL) |
Installation fee | Free (self-install), $99.00 (pro installation) |
Early termination fee | Amount depends on months of service |
Late fee | Up to $9.00 (payment usually processes at 12 a.m. EST on the scheduled payment date) |
All AT&T’s fiber and Internet Air plans come with unlimited data, so you don’t need to worry about data overage fees. AT&T’s ONT/router combo (gateway) costs $10 per month to rent, which you can’t avoid unless you purchase a compatible gateway. We provide a great list of standalone routers if you’re not happy with the gateway’s Wi-Fi.
New customers also don’t need to worry about early termination fees since AT&T no longer requires annual contracts on its internet plans. But if you have a term commitment, there is a fee for canceling early.
AT&T internet installation, equipment, and contracts
AT&T goes easy on the customer when it comes to technical matters, with no contracts and self-installation at no additional cost.
AT&T installation and equipment
Many AT&T plans let you opt for self-installation, in which you set everything up yourself with relative ease. But you can only self-install service if your home is already wired for fiber or DSL internet.
With a pro fiber install, the technician installs the line running to your home and usually supplies you with a single gateway, which combines the optical network terminal (think modem) with a router. You can either pay the monthly fee to rent AT&T’s gateway or purchase a compatible one to save money over the long run. But be careful—a fiber gateway isn’t the same as a cable gateway.
AT&T internet contracts
Unlike some internet service providers, AT&T doesn’t require an annual commitment once you sign up for service. That means you can cancel any time without getting hit with early termination fees.
AT&T internet customer ratings
Overall | Speed | Price | Reliability | Customer service | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
AT&T customer satisfaction rating | 3.9/5 | 3.9/5 | 3.7/5 | 3.8/5 | 3.8/5 |
Average rating* | 3.7/5 | 3.8/5 | 3.4/5 | 3.7/5 | 3.6/5 |
*Based on our annual customer satisfaction survey
AT&T got awesome ratings in our annual customer satisfaction survey. Out of 15 national providers, AT&T scored in second place for speed, price, and overall satisfaction. It also scored well above average in other important categories.
Customers have long seemed pleased with AT&T’s service—and their satisfaction likely is thanks in large part to AT&T’s fast, affordable fiber packages. AT&T also recently launched a 5G fixed wireless internet, a service type that got glowing reviews from customers in our survey.
How AT&T compares to the competition
Provider | Plan price range | Speed (range) | User rating* | Order online |
---|---|---|---|---|
$55.00–$225.00/mo. | 225–5,000Mbps | 3.7/5 | ||
$39.99–$79.99/mo. for 12 or 24 mos. | 300–1,000Mbps (wireless speeds may vary) | 3.7/5 | View Plans | |
$30.00–$80.00/mo. | 75–1,200Mbps | 3.7/5 | View Plans |
When it comes to overall customer satisfaction, AT&T falls in line with its two biggest competitors, cable internet providers Spectrum and Xfinity. However, there’s one category where AT&T outshines them—price. Surveyed customers ranked AT&T third overall in price compared to 13 national providers. Despite Spectrum and Xfinity offering bargain plans with lower price minimums, customers reported they were more satisfied with the value of AT&T’s deals. In this case, it seems cheaper isn’t always better when it comes to customers and their fiber service. With the fastest possible speeds and, in some cases, lower prices, AT&T stacks up well against its competition.
However, if you have to pick AT&T’s DSL or Internet Air plans against these cable providers, Spectrum and Xfinity win. They give faster speeds and better performance overall on a cable connection, and the price is more or less the same.
*According to our annual customer satisfaction survey
Read our full reviews of AT&T vs. the competition
AT&T Internet Air vs. satellite internet
AT&T’s Internet Air fixed wireless service is better than most satellite internet packages you can get. It’s cheaper, gives you more data, and may give you faster speeds. It’s a decent option if you live in an area where wired broadband internet isn’t available. However, if you have access to T-Mobile’s 5G Home Internet, we suggest going with that over AT&T Internet Air.
In many remote and rural areas, the only way to get internet is from a satellite provider like Hughesnet or Viasat. Satellite internet supplies adequate speeds and a small amount of data, which is great if you have literally no other internet options. But if you’re in an area with cell service, fixed wireless is likely the better way to go, since you get more data and a smoother connection.
Pro tip:
Don’t pay more for internet if you don’t need it! Internet providers throw around big numbers when it comes to internet speed to make their packages look impressive. But we recommend using our “How Much Internet Speed Do I Need?” tool to figure out exactly what internet speed suits your household.
Is AT&T internet right for you?
If you can get fiber internet from AT&T, then definitely get AT&T. The AT&T Internet 300 plan gives you very fast internet at a fair price—perfect if you’re working from home, sharing the Wi-Fi with a bunch of roommates or family members, or posting tons of content to the web regularly.
If fiber internet isn’t available, your next option from AT&T is Internet Air. It’s a 5G home internet service launched as a replacement for customers who can no longer get DSL. It’s also a good alternative to satellite for rural customers, although we suggest T-Mobile 5G Home Internet instead.
AT&T still has DSL internet, but it may not be available to new customers where you live.
Ultimately, we think AT&T offers a lot of great plan options, fair terms, and generous data amounts.
FAQ about AT&T
Is AT&T good for home internet?
AT&T offers fast fiber internet at affordable prices, with plans ranging from 300Mbps up to 5,000Mbps (5Gbps). We recommend getting one of these plans if they’re available in your area.
AT&T’s DSL internet is slower than its home fiber service. Plus, AT&T may not offer DSL service to new customers where you live, so Internet Air is your only other option from AT&T if you can’t get its fiber internet.
How much is AT&T internet?
AT&T offers plans between $55.00 and $225.00 a month.
We recommend the AT&T Internet 300 fiber plan for $55.00 a month. It’s an affordable price for fiber internet and is fast enough for most households.
Can I install AT&T internet by myself?
You can install AT&T on your own if your home is already wired for fiber or DSL internet. If not, you need a professional to install the connections you need to get online.
Has AT&T TV been discontinued?
Yes, AT&T TV has been discontinued. You can bundle AT&T internet service with the satellite TV company DIRECTV.
Methodology
Our HighSpeedInternet.com editorial team bases our analyses on customer input from our annual customer satisfaction survey, results from our speed test tool, and proprietary internet provider data on speeds and pricing. To strengthen our research, we look closely at provider contracts to get hard-to-find information on price hikes, data caps, and extra fees, and we keep tabs on the latest news reports and online reviews. When applicable, we also rely on our personal experiences testing these services.
Disclaimers
AT&T Internet Review
Speeds based on wired connection. Actual speeds may vary. For more info, go to www.att.com/speed101.
Price after $5/mo Autopay & Paperless bill discount (w/in 2 bills). Plus taxes & fees. Monthly State Cost Recovery Charge in TX, OH, NV applies. One time install chrg may apply. Ltd. avail/areas. Call or go to www.fiber.att.com to see if you qualify.
Price after $5/mo Autopay & Paperless bill discount (w/in 2 bills). Plus taxes & fees. Monthly State Cost Recovery Charge in TX, OH, NV applies. Ltd. availability/areas.
Compare AT&T internet plans and pricing
*Speeds based on wired connection. Actual speeds may vary. For more info, go to www.att.com/speed101.
**Internet speed claims represent maximum network service capability speeds and based on wired connection to gateway. 1GIG speeds avail. to new customers with the latest router (“BGW320”) and recommended setup. For 5 GIG speed, single device wired speed maximum 4.7 Gbps. Actual customer speeds may vary based on a number of factors and are not guaranteed. For more information, go to www.att.com/speed101.
#Price after $5/mo Autopay & Paperless bill discount (w/in 2 bills). Plus taxes & fees. Monthly State Cost Recovery Charge in TX, OH, NV applies. One time install chrg may apply. Ltd. avail/areas. Call or go to www.fiber.att.com to see if you qualify.
†Price after $5/mo Autopay & Paperless bill discount (w/in 2 bills). Plus taxes & fees. Monthly State Cost Recovery Charge in TX, OH, NV applies. Ltd. availability/areas.